Nouri
al-Maliki, who stepped down as the head of the Iraqi government last
year and remains a vice-president, believes that Iraq was targeted by a
“regional conspiracy” and is at risk of breaking up. He also said
inviting Russia to target Islamic State targets in Iraq could play a
positive part in the debacle.

Describing the effort of the
international coalition led by the US to cripple ISIS fighters in Iraq,
Maliki said it was “inefficient”.

“It's unbelievable and
unacceptable that more than 60 nations comprising this coalition that
have the most modern aircraft and weapons at their disposal have been
conducting their campaign in Iraq for 14 months and IS still remains in
the country,” he told RT's Arabic-language sister-channel Rusiya Al-Yaum.

Maliki cited the loss of the city of Ramadi and the major oil
refining center Baiji to ISIS, both of which happened after the
coalition started bombing the terrorists, as proof that not enough is
being done by the coalition.

“Some members of the coalition
have their own strategies that account for ISIS either continuing to
exist or being destroyed. They also consider what would happen after
ISIS’s destruction. I believe they are indecisive, trying to calculate
what happens. What will be the situation in Iraq, in the region, will
the map look the same? Or maybe ISIS is a key instrument for changing
the situation in Iraq and the region?” he asked.

Maliki says Russia helped Iraq in the aftermath of the fall of Mosul
to the Islamic State by providing weapons and may help more by expanding
to Iraq its bombing campaign in Syria. He said the Russian effort had
proven to be efficient.

“The Russian involvement in Syria and
the intensive bombings have stopped the offensive of many terrorist
groups. This involvement hurt the terrorists a lot and inspired the
Syrian troops. Russia's actions also stunned the international
coalition. In just days and weeks Russia delivered strikes against major
terrorist positions in Syria. And where is the intentional coalition of
more than 60 nations that had achieved nothing in 14 months in Iraq?” he said.

Maliki said the Iraq government is dragging its feet on inviting Russia, partially due to pressure from the US.

“If
somebody has a strong position in the region and then another nation
starts using its capabilities the former party is naturally concerned.
It was believed that Russia's presence in the region was over. But now
Russia has a comeback to fight terrorism alongside Iraq and Syria. And a
situation where decision, which could be previously taken unilaterally,
should now be taken in partnership, causes concern,” Maliki said.